Corset-stiffener



(NoModel.)

J. A. HOUSE. Corset Stiffener.

No. 242,537. Patented June 7, 188|.

N. PETERS. Phato-mognphev. Washmgwn. D.C.

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NiTE STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES A. HOUSE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO VARNER BROTHERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

CORSET-STIFFENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,537, dated June 7, 1881.

Application filed January 22, 1881.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ALFORD HOUSE,

of Bridgeport, Fairfield county, Connecticut,

have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Corset-Stiffeiiers, &e., of which the following is the specification.

My invention is an improvement in the construction of that class of stiffeningribs used for imparting rigidity to corsets and bosompads, and composed of fibers of stiff material bound together; and my improvement consists in the mode of manufacturing such articles whereby to secure ribs or blades of any desired size orshape, and in the article thus produced.

The improved ribs or blades ai'e made from any stiff elastic fibers or splints, such as tampico fibers alone or combined with blades of horn or other material, the said fibers being collected in a bunch or bundle of the required form, and then united or consolidated by means of threads combined therewith, so as to hold each blade or fiber in its position relative to the others.

Different modes of combining the threads with the fibers may be employed so as to secure the desired result. One mode which I have adopted consists 'in first forinin g a continuous strip or a rib by binding in a bundle a mass of splints or fibers, a, by means of wrapping-threads 11or by metal bands, or in any other manner, then combining two or more of the ribs thus made' by arranging them side by side, as shown in Fig. l, and uniting the saine in such manner as to retain them firmly in juxtaposition, consolidating the whole so as to form a blade in which the fibers are compacted firml y and solidly together, forming a stili' yet elastic blade, which as thus made, or as further stiff'- eiied as described hereinafter, is adapted to be 4o used as a substitute for the ordinary blades of bone or horn usually employed as stiffeners for corsets.

The binding may be effected by threads passing round or through the mass of bersiii different ways to hold them compactly together. As shown in Fig. 2, ,some of the threads pass over and under the fibers and others pass through the mass, tying the upper and lower threads tightly down upon the faces of the blade.

(No model.)

Instead of binding the ribs a, as described, before combining them, the separate unbound bundles of ber may be brought together and united by threads, as shown iii Figs. 3 and 4, the result being the same so far as concerns the consolidating, condensing, or conipactiiig of the mass of fibers in one broad flat blade.

An y desired means may be employed whereby the fibers are collected together and formed into continuous .bundles oi ribs a of unlimited 6o length, thereby utilizing short `bers, which could not otherwise be employed iii the manufacture of long blades. In like manner I can form lon g continuous blades of lcombined fibers and horn strips, utilizing short thin pieces of horn or other material which could not Well be embodied in long blades in any other manner. Thus short strips c e of horn may be arranged between and combined with continuous ribs a of liber, and all may be consolidated by any 7o surrounding binding, as in Figs. 5, 6, and 7; or the strips of horn may be superposed on the ribs and united thereto, as shown in Fig. 8. In any case the short horn is made the means of producing a long stiffening-blade, while greater stiffness is imparted to thelatter than would result from the use of liber alone.

To facilitate the combination of the short strips e with the continuous ribs a, the horn strips may be bound together in continuous 8o lengths by wrappiiig-tlireads, as shown in Fig.

9, thus permitting all the ribs which are to be united in the blade to be manipulated in like manner, and avoiding the necessity of feeding the short strips separately. Cement may be substituted for binding-threads to unite the strips e.

Where it is desirable or necessary to form a blade of greater stiffness or rigidity, I apply to the material, at any stage during the manufac- 9o ture, awaterproong or stiffening composition, as marine glue, japan, paint, or other suitable material, which will lill the interstices of the blade and make the same more solid and durable by securing a closer union of the fibers and preventing the entrance of moisture. I do not claim this, however, as my invention. The blade may also be compacted by the applica tion of pressure, and the further application of heat is sometimes advantageous-as, for inroo stance, when tampico is employed, the fibers being thereby rendered stiffer and more elastic.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed for facilitating the above-described mode of man ufacture, and I have used appliances which Ido not here describe, as the same will constitute the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

I do not claim a stiiener composed of tampico fibers bound together, as this is not my invention; but

I claim- 1. The mode herein described of constructin g stiieners for corsets, the same consisting in collecting together two or more ribs of stiff elastic bers or splints, formed substantially as described, and uniting the same to form a flat blade, substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement in the manufacture of corset-stieners consisting in forming bers ot zo stiftl elastic material into ribs and binding together the ribs by threads to form a flat blade, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a corset-stii'ener, of a series ot' fibers of stift' elastic material, such 25 as tampico and strips of horn, substantially as set forth.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a corsetstitfener consisting of ribs ot'- stiff elastic material united to form a ilat blade, substantially 3o as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ALFORD HOUSE.

Witnesses CHARLES H. DmoND, J AMES. CARR. 

